Lighting fixture



March 14, 1961 L. I. DVORAK 2,975,271

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 17, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS March14, 1961 1.. l. DVORAK LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 17, 1958 sSheets-Sheqt 2 INVENTOR. 55761? [DI 08A? March 14, 1961 DVORAK 2,975,271

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 17, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 {55 A INVENTORLESTEE [.DVOEAK ATTORNE S United States Patent. C

LIGHTING FIXTURE Lester I. Dvorak, Westlake, Ohio, assign-or to The ArtMetal Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 17,1958, Ser. 'No. 715,776

7 Claims. (Cl. 240-147) lighting fixtures or the like wherein it isdesirable to move one or more of the fixture members to provide accessto the normally inaccessible interior of the same and hence to theilluminating device mounted therein while retaining the lighting fixtureas a unitary and integral unit.

In present day lighting fixtures of the type referred to, theilluminating device such as a bulb or fluorescent tubing is norm-allyinaccessible by reason of the fact that a lens or the like completelyencloses the same to thereby provide a fixture which is pleasing to theeye and to provide a more difiused and indirect lighting effect.Oftentimes, when it is desirable to replace said illuminating device,the lens must be completely removed from the fixture before access canbe had to the same. For example, the artisan in the field is fullycognizant of the type of lighting fixture wherein a canopy type lens isrelasably held to the fixture housing by means of suitable threadedfasteners threadably received within the housing and extending radiallyinwardly thereof to engage with the outer wall of the lens. ing fixturebefore access to the illuminating device may be accomplished, it isnecessary to first detach the lens from its operative association withthe housing. As a resuit, the lighting fixture in eifect is almosttotally disassembled, and further, with the several parts of thelighting fixture being separated one from the other, the same are apt tobe lost or damaged during the interval when replacement of theilluminating device is necessary.

Other similarly operative lighting fixture devices are well known to theartisan wherein it is likewise required to totally remove one or more ofthe fixture members before access to the illuminating device may beaccomplished.

Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is the provision ofa hingeable support structure especially designed for use with lightingfixtures, or the like, wherein one or more of the fixture members maybe'readily swingably moved to obtain access to the normally inaccessibleinterior of the fixture while retaining the said fixture members inoperative association with each'other as a unitary and integral unit.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel andimproved hingeable support structureespecially designed for use withlighting fixtures, or the like, and wherein the structure hingedlysup-ports at least one of the fixture members and latchably connects thesame in an operative position relative to the other of said fixturemembers.

Still another object of the present invention is the proyision of anovel and improved hingeable supportstrucin this particular type oflight- 2,975,271 Patented Mar. 14, 1961 ice 2 tu re especially designedfor use with a lighting fixture having a canopy type lens completelyenclosing the illaminating device of said fixture and wherein the saidstructure peripherally hingeably supports the lens on the fixture andadditionally provides for swinging said lens to obtain access to thenormally inaccessible illuminating device disposed in the interior ofsaid fixture.

. Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will berealized by one skilled in the art to which it pertains and uponreference to the following disclosure of a preferred embodiment and asillustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification, and wherein:

--Fig'. 1- is an elevational view, shown partly in section, of alighting fixture showing one embodiment of hingeable support structureof the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the lighting fixture of Fig. 1 butshows the lens member of the fixture being supported by the hingeablesupport structure and swingably moved and positioned thereby to permitaccess to the illuminating device mounted therein;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lens support bar in the hingeable supportstructure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an "elevational side view of the support bar Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view, shown partly in section, of anotherembodiment of hingeable support structure of the present invention withthe same adapted for use with the lighting fixture of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the support bar in the hingeable supportstructure of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an elevational side view of the support bar of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is :a fragmentary view in elevation of the lighting fixture ofFigs. 1 and 5 and shows the latching mechanism for the hingeable supportstructure with the same in its normal latched position;

Fig. '9 is a fragmentary plan view and shows a preferred form ofhinge-end connection adapted to hingeably connect the support bar ofeither embodiment to the fixture housing; and,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view and shows the latch mechanism of Fig.8 in its actuated condition.

Referring now to the drawings throughout which like elements aredesignated by the same reference character, a preferred embodiment ofhingeable support structure of the present invention is herein shown inFigs. 1-4, merely for purposes of illustration, in a ceiling-typelighting fixture having a circular shallow pan-shaped housing 4 formedwith a substantially flat base 5 integrally connected at its peripheryto an annular upstanding rim 6. Said rim may extend downwardly of thebase 5 and thence inwardly and upwardly adjacent the periphery of thelatter, as is shown at 5a, to provide a substantially circular recess6a. A plurality of illuminating devices, such as the incandescent-typelamps 7 mounted in sockets 8, as indicated in Fig. 1, are rigidlymounted to the housing base 5 bymeans o-fbrackets 9 so as to extenddownwardly therefrom, said devices being connected to a suitableelectrical power source (not shown) by means of pairs of conductors 11and 12 extending through apertures 13-formed in said housing base andconnected in electrical circuit to each of the sockets 8, as will beunderstood in the art. The instant form of lighting fixture alsoincludes a suitable canopy-type light lens member 14,preferably'c'ircular in configuration and formed with a base wall 15integrally connected at its peripherytive thereby todifiuse anddefiectthe: lightemanating from the same as will be readily understood. As ispreviously mentioned, it is also desired that the lens member 14 becapable of being moved from its normally operative position, as justdescribed, to a position, for instance, similar to that shown in Fig. 2,wherein access to the illuminating devices 7 may be had without firstrequiring that said lens member be disconnected and/or separated fromthe fixture housing.

To accomplish this, the support structure of the present invention isoperable to hingeably connect the lens member 14 to the housing 4 Whileperipherally supporting the same at predetermined'spaced points, and forthis purpose said structure includes an elongated substantially straightsupport bar 17, and as is seen in Figs. 3 and 4, comprising a flat headplate 18, having a leg plate 19 extending longitudinally therealong anddepending perpendicularly downwardly from either side of the same. Abolt 20 has its shank portion 21 protruding through an aperture 21aformed centrally in the head plate 18 and extending downwardly therefrombetween the aforesaid leg plates 19 of said support bar. The shankportion 21 of said bolt is likewise suitably threaded on its free end,the purpose for which will be presently explained.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the head plate 18 of said support bar,adjacent each end thereof, is integrally provided with a pair of wingplates 22, the plates of each pair being integrally connected toopposite sides of said head plate and extending laterally outwardlytherefrom in opposite directions, preferably in substantial coplanarrelation to each other and said head plate. In addition, one end of saidhead plate is provided with a fiat supporting shoulder 24 locatedslightly above the latter, being integrally connected thereto by meansof an upwardly inclined wall 25. Said shoulder is preferably locatedsuch that its bottom surface, as seen in Fig. 4, lies in substantiallythe same plane as the upper surface of the aforesaid head plate 18. Theaforesaid wing plate 22 on the latter end of the support bar also mountsa hinge plate 27, which in its present form includes a flat base 28rigidly fastened by means of rivets or the like as indicated at 29 tosaid wing plates inwardly of the aforesaid supporting shoulder 24. Theoutermost transverse edge of the base 28 is integrally connected to abridge-like hinge portion 31 which extends over said supportingshoulder, being formed with a hinge tongue 32 on its free end having ahinge eye 33 which is suspended downwardly from said hinge portion andspaced longitudinally outwardly of the end of said shoulder.

In like manner, the wing plate 22 on the opposite end of the support bar17 rigidly mounts a latch member 35, the latter, in its present formhaving a flat base 36 securely fastened at 37 to said wing plates andintegrally connected to a latch arm 38 by means of an upwardly andoutwardly inclined wall 39. As seen in Fig. 4, the latch arm of saidmember is preferably disposed such that the underside surface thereof issubstantially coplanar with the upper surface of said head plate on theaforementioned support bar 17.

With this particular construction, said support bar is provided withopposed coplanar surfaces 41 and 42 which are adapted to provideperipheral support for the lens member 14 in a manner now to bedescribed.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the lens member 14 is placed over thesupport bar 17 in such manner that diametrically opposite portions ofthe peripheral edge 44 of the annular wall 16 thereof abuts against theaforesaid surfaces 41 and 42. The threaded end of the shank 21 of theaforementioned fastener 20 protrudes through an aperture 45 centrallyprovided in the lens member base 15 and receives a nut 46 or the like,the latter having a circular button-shaped head 47 extending ,over thesurface of the lens base 15 bordering said aperture which tends to presssaid lens against the said support- 4 ing surfaces. In this manner, thelens member 14 is securely fastened to the suppprt bar 17, the latterthereby engaging with said lens member at spaced diametrically oppositepoints on the edge of its annular wall 16 and also at its base center.

It is further contemplated that the lens member 14 be attached to thefixture housing 4 such as to be swingably movable, as above described,to permit access to the illuminating devices 7. For this purpose a hingeplate 45 is mounted on the upper face of the housing base 5 adjoiningthe periphery thereof, and as is seen in Fig. 9, has spaced hinge arms46 each being formed with a similarly formed hinge eye 47. The housingbase 5 is suitably apertured, as is indicated at 48 in Fig. 2, at apoint slightly spaced radially inwardly from the annular wall 6 todefine a narrow stop 49 whose radial dimension is substantially equal tothe effective length of the aforesaid hinge tongue 32, the reason forwhich will'be hereinafter apparent. In attaching the lens member 14 tothe housing base 5, said support bar is positioned such that the hingetongue 32 extends upwardly through the aperture 48 and between thespaced hinge arms 46, as is shown in Fig. 9, whereby the hinge eyes 33and 47 are moved into substantial alignment and receive a hinge pin 50.With this construction, the lens member 14 is hingeab'ly attached to thefixture housing 4, and may be swingably moved from its normallyoperative position as is shown in Fig. 1 to a position below the saidhousing, for instance as is shown in Fig. 2, whereby the illuminatingdevices 7 areaccessible to the user for replacement, cleaning or thelike.

An important feature of the cooperative association between the hingetongue 32 of the aforesaid hinge plate 27 andthe aforementioned narrowstop 49 and also to the above defined sizes for the same elementsrelates to the fact thatthe hinge tongue extends over the latter, andhence when the lens member 14 is swingably moved to a level beyond thatshown in Fig. 2, said hinge tongue is lowered to and engages with theupper surface of said stop and thereby defines the lowermost positionfor said reflector member. This latter position is also preferablyselected such that with the lens member thus conditioned, its weighttends to swing it to a still lower position relative to the housing andhence biases said hinge tongue againstsaid stop to positively definesaid lowermost position, I

The novel and improved hingeable support structure of the presentinvention also includes means effective to releasably latch-ably attachwith the latch member 35 mounted on the end of the support bar 17opposite to said hinge connection such that the lens member 14 is heldin its operative position in the manner shown in Fig. 1', For thispurpose the free end of the latch arm 38 is provided with. an uprightresilient hood-type latch 52 being spaced above the base 36 of saidlatch member and hence positioned to extend into the fixture housing 4upon movement of the lens member 14 to its Fig. 1 position. Toaccomplish this, the base 5 of the housing adjacent the peripherythereof, and preferably diametrically opposite the above described hingeconnection, is provided with an enlarged opening 53 through which saidlatch is adapted to extend and lockably engage with the locking plate.54 of a latchable lock member 55, now to be described.

With reference directed particularly to Figs. 8 and 10, the present formof lock member 55 includes a base 56 having leg portions 57 and 58disposed in perpendicular relation to each other and rigidly attached tothe upper surface of the housing base 5 by means of any suitable saidbridge portion lies adjacent and faces toward the aforesaid opening 53.The lock member 55 is also pro.- vided with a curved arm 61 whichextends upwardly from the end of the base leg 50 as seen in Fig. 8 andintegrally connects to one end of a resilient spring member 62. A pairof spaced arms 63 connects to one end of the locking plate 54 and thencecurves upwardly therefrom to connect at longitudinally spaced pointswith the spring member 62 adjacent its free end. Said locking plate, inaddition, is provided with an enlarged opening 64 formed adjacent saidlatter end and between the aforesaid spaced arms 63. As shownparticularly in Fig. 8, the spring member 62 normally lies against theinside face 65 of the housing rim 6, closely following the contour ofthe same in such manner that the locking plate 54 extends partiallyunderneath the bridge portion 60 in the base leg 58. With said lockingplate thus located, the latch 52 on the latch member 35 normallyresiliently engages its upper surface 66 adjacent the enlarged opening64 sufliciently to latchably retain the lens 14 in the housing 4 in itsaforementioned operative position.

The lock member 55 is adapted to be actuated to unlatch the member 52from its latchable engagement with the locking plate 54 such that thelens 14 may then be swung downwardly relative to the fixture housing 4,and for this purpose an operator or button 68, substantially cylindricalin configuration, is slidably disposed within an aperture 69 formed inthe annular rim 6 of said fixture housing. Said operator extendsradially inwardly toward the axis of the latter and is provided with aninner portion 71 of somewhat reduced diameter defining an annularshoulder 72 adjoining its one end. Said reduced end portion projectsinwardly through a suitable aperture 73 provided in the spring member62, the latter being retained between said annular shoulder and anenlarged head 74 formed on the extremity of said operator.

With this structure, it will now be realized that by pushing theoperator 68 into the fixture housing 4, the annular shoulder 72 on saidoperator is effective to swing the free end of the spring member 62about the curved arm 61 and integrally connected base leg 57 in suchmanner as to slide the locking plate 54 inwardly along the upper surfaceof the housing base 5 and beneath the aforesaid bridge portion 60 on thebase leg 58. As a result, the enlarged opening 64 on said locking plateis carried to a position directly below the latch 52 on the latch arm 38and in substantial vertical alignment with the enlarged opening 53 inthe housing base 5. With the locking plate held in this positon, thelens 14 may then be swung downwardly or clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2whereby the latch 52 is carried downwardly and out through the alignedopenings 53 and 64. The lens 14 is then free to be pivotally moved to aposition wherein the illuminating devices 7 are-exposed and accessiblefor purposes of maintenance, replacement or the like. It will be furtherrealized that when the cylindrical operator 68 is released, theresilient characteristics of the spring member 62 returns the lockingplate 54 to its latching position whereat it will engage the latch 52upon subsequently moving the lens 14 to its normally operative position.The movement of said spring member is also operative to push theoperator 68 outwardly of the housing 4 to condition the same in itslatchable position.

When said lens is moved to its operative Fig. 1 position, guidemeans-may be additionally provided to correctly position or guide thesupport bar 17 and hence the lens member 14 into their proper locationwith respect to the housing 4. More particularly this may beaccomplished by means of the form of guide means shown herein in Figs. 1and 2 and which comprises a bracket 76 having a base 77 rigidly attachedto the underside surface of the housing base 5. A leg 78 (only one ofwhich is shown) is integrally formed on each end of the base 77 anddepends downwardly substantially vertically therefrom. Although notshown in the drawings, the bracket 76 is located centrally on a lineintersecting the above described hinge-end connection and latchingmechanism such that each of said bracket legs is spaced transverselyoutwardly substantially the same distance from said line, but onopposite sides of the same. Likewise, with said legs preferably spacedapart a distance sufficient to accommodate the support bar 17, then,when said bar is swung upwardly to the housing base 5 the guide means iseffective to center the same and the lens member on the housing 4. It isalso noted particularly in Fig. 1, that the present form of support bar,when positioned to hold the lens member 14 in its normal operativeposition, lies closely adjacent and extends substantially parallel tothe base 5 of the housing 4 and preferably inbetween the aforesaidsockets 8 mounting the illuminating devices 7. Hence, with thisparticular construction, the depth of the lighting, fixture may be madesubstantially more shallow thereby resulting in a more compactstructure, which, when attached to a room ceiling or the like, providesmaximum head clearance as is defined in the art.

In the embodiment of hingeable support structure shown in Figs. 5-7, thesupport bar of the previous form is replaced by a similarly operativesupport bar 81 which is somewhat U-shaped in configuration and which hasan elongated base leg 82 integrally attached at each of its ends to anupwardly and outwardly inclined leg 83, the latter being substantiallycoplanar to each other and to said base leg. The central part of thebase leg 82, as seen in Fig. 7, is preferably formed with a downwardlydepending abutment 84, substantially in the form of a frustrum of apyramid and having a flat crown portion 85. The opposed longitudinaledges of said support bar are also preferably constructed so as to havea narrow flange, as indicated at 86, extending perpendicularly outwardlyfrom said bar, being effective to lend additional rigidity thereto. Thecenter of the abutment 84 is. formed with a substantially semi-circularopening 87 extending inwardly of the crown portion and adapted toaccommodate the en, larged head 88 of a suitable threaded fastener 89rigidly secured to said crown by welding or the like. The shank 91 ofsaid fastener is adapted to extend outwardly through a suitable apertureprovided in the aforesaid flat crown portion 85 and'thence outwardlythereof substantially perpendicularly of the narrow flange 86, thepurpose for which will be presently explained.

With particular reference directed to Figs. 6 and 7, .each support barleg 83, at the free end thereof, is preferably integrally formed with.an elongated flat plate. or flange 92, the latter connecting to saidfree end by means of an upwardly inclined shoulder 93, said flangeextending outwardly therefrom in substantial parallel spaced relation tothe aforesaid crown portion 85. With this construction, the support bar81 is provided with spaced co.-' planar flange surfaces 94 which areeffective, in conjunction with the aforesaid flat crown portion 85 ofsaicl'base leg, to engage with various parts of the lens. member 14 andhence provide bilevel support. therefor in a manner now to be described.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, the lens member 14 is placed over theinstant form of support bar in the same manner as previously describedwhereby its annular edge 44 rests upon the aforesaid flange surfaces 94,and the crown portion 85 of said bar is spaced centrally above the innersurface of the lens base 15. The threaded shank 91 of the fasener 89 isadapted to extend through an aperture 96 provided in the center of saidlens base and receives a nut 97 or the like, the latter having acylindrical internally threaded body 98 threadably received on saidshank and extending through said aperture to engage the aforementionedcrown portion 85 on the support bar base leg 82. Said nut is likewiseprovided with an enlarged button-shaped head 99 substantially larger indiameter than the diameter of the aperture 96, and which extends overand engages with that its free end and the adjacent surface of thebuttonshaped head 99 engage with the crown portion 85 of said supportbar and lens base 15, respectively, under a slight bearing pressure. Inthis manner, the instant form of support bar is also effective in a'manner similar to that of the previous form to provide bi-levelengagement with the lens member 14.

The hingeable connection for the instant form of support structure issubstantially similar to that of the previous embodiment with its hingeplate 101 rigidly attached at its base 102 to wing plates 103 extendingtransversely outwardly on opposite sides from the free end of one of thesupport bar legs 83 such that its hinge tongue 104 and hinge eye 105 onthe free end of the latter is suspended outwardly longitudinally of theadjacent flange 92.

In like manner, the latch member 107 in the present embodiment issomewhat similar to the latch member 35 previously described in the formas shown in Figs. 1-4, however, in the instant construction, the base108 of said latch member is substantially flat and is rigidly attachedto opposed wing plates 109 formed integrally on the free end of theopposite leg 83 of the support bar 81 such that its latch 112 is locateddirectly thereabove and spaced inwardly of the adjacent flange 92. Thepresent latch member is identically operable with the lock member 55 asin the previous construction, however, since the latch 112 of thepresent form is located somewhat inwardly of the end of the support barleg 83, the placement of the openings 53 and 64 in the housing base 5and lock member 55 respectively, may necessarily have to be re-locatedso as to permit the projection of said latch therethrough.

Having thus described several preferred embodiments of hingeable supportstructures of the present invention, it is now realized that the sameprovides a novel and improved hingeable, latchable support especiallydesigned for use with lighting fixture members or the like whereby theseveral fixture members may be swingably moved relative to each other toobtain access to the interior of said fixture and to the illuminatingdevice normally carried therein, while retaining said fixture as asubstantially integral unit.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a lighting fixture or the like having a housing supporting anilluminating device and a bowl-like lens member for completely enclosingsaid device being effective to diffuse the light emanating therefrom,hingeable support means for swingably latchably attaching saidlensmember to said housing, comprising an elongated support bar having abase, a leg member integral with each end of said base, plate meansformed integrally with the end of each of said leg members extendingoutwardly from said support bar in opposed substantially coplanarrelation for engagement with peripherally spaced parts on the open endof said lens member, a flat crown portion formed centrally on said basein paralle spaced relation to said plate means for connection to saidlens member at a point spaced from said open end, fastener means carriedon said flat crown portion adapted to extend centrally through said lensmember, lock means connecting to said fastener means and engaging withsaid lens member to force the latter into slight pressure engagementwith the plate means on said support bar, hinge means on one of said legmembers extending outwardly of the plate means associated therewithbeing hingeably connected to said housing and effective to pivotallyattach said lens member to the latter, and latch means on the other ofsaid leg members disposed in said housing and effective to releasablylatchably attach said lens member to the latter.

2. In a lighting fixture or the like having a housing supporting anilluminating device and a bowl-like lens member for completely enclosingsaid device being eflective't'o diffuse the light emanating therefrom,hingeable support means for swingably latchably attaching said lensmember to said housing, comprising an elongated support bar having abase, a leg member integral With each end of said base dependingoutwardly and upwardly therefrom, a flat plate formed on the end of eachof said leg members disposed in relative coplanar relation and extendingoutwardly in opposite directions from said base, abutment meansdepending transversely outwardly from the center of said base and havinga fiat crown portion disposed in parallel spaced relation to each ofsaid flat plates, said flat plates being adapted to engage withperipherally spaced parts on the open end of said lens member, fastenermeans carried on said fiat crown portion adapted to extend centrallythrough said lens member, lock means operatively connecting to saidfastener lens member, lock means operatively connecting to said fastenermeans and engaging with said lens member to force the latter into slightpressure engagement with the flat plates on said support bar, hingemeans comprising a hinge plate carried on one of said leg membersdisposed outwardly therefrom and in substantial perpendicular relationto the flat plate associated with the latter, means hingeably connectingsaid hinge plate to said housing adjacent the periphery thereof, andlatch means carried on the other of said leg members being disposed insaid housing and extending upwardly in substantial perpendicularrelation and into engagement with said housing at a point thereonopposite the said hingeably connecting means being effective toreleasably latchably attach said lens member to the latter.

3. In a lighting fixture or the like having a housing supporting anilluminating device and a bowl-like lens member for completely enclosingsaid device being effective to diffuse the light emanating therefrom,hingeable support means for swingably latchably attaching said lensmember to said housing, comprising an elongated support bar having abase, a leg member integral with each end of said base and dependingoutwardly therefrom, plate means on each of said leg members disposed inspaced coplanar relation and adapted to engage with peripherally spacedparts on the open end of said lens member, said base having meansoperatively engageable with said lens member in a different plane fromthat of said coplanar means on said leg members and effective tocentrally support said lens member, fastener means carried on said basemeans adapted to extend centrally through said lens member, lock meansconnecting to said fastener means and engaging with said lens member toforce the latter into slight pressure engagement with said plate meanson said support bar, means on one of said leg members for pivotallyattaching said support bar to said housing, a latch car ried on theother of said leg members and extending perpendicularly upwardlytherefrom, and latching means comprising a resilient spring arm mountedin said housing and movably actuatable into latching condition with saidlatch effective to releasably attach said member to said housing.

4. In alighting fixture or the like as defined in claim 3 and wherein alock plate is mounted on said resilient spring arm being movabletherewith into latching engagement with said latch effective toreleasably attach said lens member to said housing.

5. In a lighting fixture or the like as defined in claim 3 and whereinoperating means are movably carried in said housing and actuatable toengage with said resilient spring arm and efiective to unlatch the samefrom said latch and thereby allow said lens member to be swung aboutsaid pivotally attaching means.

6. In a lighting fixture or the like having a housing supporting anilluminating device and a bowl-like lens member for completely enclosingsaid device being effective to diffuse the light emanating therefrom,hingeable support means for swingably latchably attaching said lensmember to said housing, comprising an elongated support bar having abase, a leg member integral with each end of said base and dependingoutwardly therefrom, plate means on each of said leg members disposed inspaced coplanar relation and adapted to engage with peripherally spacedparts on the open end of said lens member, said base having meansoperatively engageable with said lens member in a different plane fromthat of said coplanar means on said leg members and efiective tocentrally support said lens member, fastener means carried on said basemeans adapted to extend centrally through said lens member, lock meansconnecting to said fastener means and engaging with said lens member toforce the latter into slight pressure engagement with said plate meanson said support bar, means on one of said leg members for pivotallyattaching said support bar to said housing, a latch carried on the otherof said leg members and extending perpendicularly upwardly therefrom,latching means comprising a resilient spring arm attached at its one endto the inside of said housing, a lock plate carried on the opposite endof said spring arm and movable therewith between said housing and saidlatch into engagement with the latter to latchably releasably attachsaid lens member to said housing, and a keeper bar on said latchingmeans operatively engageable with said lock plate and effective todefine a predetermined directional movement for the same to cause saidlatchable condition.

7. In a lighting fixture or the like having a housing supporting anilluminating device and a bowl-like lens member for completely enclosingsaid device being effective to diifuse the light emanating therefrom,hingeable support means for swingably latchably attaching said lensmember to said housing, comprising an elongated support bar having abase, a leg member integral with each end of said base dependingoutwardly and upwardly therefrom, a fiat plate formed on the end of eachof said leg members disposed in relative coplanar relation and extendingoutwardly in opposite directions from said base, abutment meansdepending transversely outwardly from said base in a direction oppositeto said leg members and having a flat crown portion disposed in parallelspaced relation to each of said flat plates, said fiat plates beingadapted to engage with peripherally spaced parts on the open end of saidlens members and said crown portion being centrally connected to saidlens member at a point spaced from said open end, said flat plates andcrown portion thus providing a bi-level engagement with said lensmember, fastener means carried on said fiat crown portion adapted toextend centrally through said lens members, lock means connecting tosaid fastener means and engaging with said lens member to force thelatter into slight pressure engagement with the flat plates on saidsupport bar, hinge means comprising a hinge plate carried on one of saidleg members in substantial perpendicular relation to the fiat plateassociated with the latter, means hingeably connecting said hinge plateto said housing adjacent the periphery thereof, a latch carried on theother of said leg members and extending upwardly therefrom insubstantial perpendicular relation, latching means comprising aresilient spring arm attached at one of its ends to the inside of saidhousing, a lock plate carried on the opposite end of said spring armbeing movable therewith between said housing and said latch intoengagement with the latter to latchably releasably attach said lensmember to said housing, keeper means on said latching means operativelyengageable with said lock plate and effective to define a predetermineddirectional movement for the same to cause said latchable condition, andoperating means mounted in said housing being movable therein intoengagement with said spring arm eitective to actuate said lock plate toan unlatched condition and allow said lens member to be swung about saidhinge means.

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